Become the Leader and Speaker You Want to Be

A typical Toastmasters meeting allows participants to work on prepared and impromptu speeches, as well as evaluation and feedback. Here, member Chase Carrington competes in a recent Table Topics (impromptu speech) contest.

At Bailey Toastmasters, members learn by speaking to groups and working with others in a supportive environment. Our club of about 15 people, meets almost every Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Euclid Public Library for approximately an hour. We're always looking for new members and guests are always welcome.

Each meeting gives everyone an opportunity to practice:

-Conducting meetings. Members learn how to plan and conduct meetings.

-Giving impromptu speeches. Members, and guests, present one-to-two-minute impromptu speeches on topics assigned just after their introduction.

-Presenting prepared speeches. Members present speeches based on projects in the Toastmasters education program. Projects cover topics such as speaking, organization, vocal variety, language, gestures and persuasion.

-Offering constructive evaluation. Every member giving a prepared speech is assigned an evaluator who identifies speech strengths and offers suggestions for improvement.

Upon joining Toastmasters, each new member receives a variety of resources on how to become a better speaker and a more confident leader. Members also have access to other materials and educational resources. In addition, they receive the award-winning Toastmaster, a monthly magazine that offers the latest insights on speaking and leadership techniques.
Leadership cannot be learned in a day. It takes practice. In Toastmasters, members learn leadership skills by organizing and conducting meetings, and by completing education projects. The projects address skills such as listening, planning, team-building and motivating others, and they give members the opportunity to practice such skills. Just as Toastmasters members learn to speak by speaking, they learn leadership by leading.

Toastmasters provides the tools that enable members to become effective presenters and leaders – all at a very low cost averaging $45 every six months (plus a one time $20 memership fee). Compare that to commercially provided workshops and you'll see that the cost of Toastmasters membership pales in comparison. After you attend one or more meetings, you can apply for membership (minimum age 18).

Bailey Toastmasters meets just about every Thursday night at the Euclid Public Library, unless there is a holiday, inclement weather or no room available. Always check our website for updates on meeting dates and places at 3628.toastmastersclub.org or e-mail us at vpm-3628@toastmastersclubs.org for more information. We look forward to meeting you soon!